


Waiting For

by ashaleighmarie



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: AH OT6, M/M, Multi, Prompt Fill, Ryan-centric, Songfic, kind of, waiting for superman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 08:44:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashaleighmarie/pseuds/ashaleighmarie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It would have been odd anyway; six men in the room, and five of them were in a relationship? The one man out was bound to feel a little excluded even if he didn't secretly want in on it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting For

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from chemicalcyan:  
> FLUFFY SONGFIC FOR THE BOYS ON “Waiting For Superman” by Daughtry I DONT CARE HOW OR WHY U DO IT JUST DO IT I NEED THIS OMFG

It would have been odd anyway; six men in the room, and five of them were in a relationship? The one man out was bound to feel a little excluded even if he didn’t secretly want in on it. But really, how could he not?

How could they expect him to watch, day in and day out, as the five of them interacted, now so much more intimate than before? And how could they think he wouldn’t wish he could share in it? When Geoff got up to refill his coffee and ruffled Gavin’s hair on the way out the door, or when Michael and Gavin leaned a little closer than necessary to titter at one another over some in-game madness that Nice Dynamite had caused; he could only watch.

When Ray bounced off of his couch and onto Jack’s lap and wasn’t immediately pushed off, when their shoulders pressed snugly together at times when there was room enough for them to spread out, when Gavin clambered up onto their backs and crowed his delight while they swore but their hands slid under his thighs to help support his weight up there; he said nothing, only laughed and pretended that it was just another day.

How could he say that he wished to be involved, to be the one Ray climbed into the lap of, or the one Gavin pounced on from nowhere; the one Geoff touched idly in passing, just because he was there? If they wanted him that way, they’d have asked him by now. It wasn’t like he wasn’t always there, in the back of the room, watching from his couch at the dozens of little exchanges they shared that they probably weren’t even aware of.

Sometimes evenings were the hardest, when he’d go to leave the office and he’d see them all walking together to the parking lot, jostling one another, laughing long and loud at something that had been said. Or at lunch when they’d all leave to get something in a group. Occasionally they invited him along, but he would always decline. He got enough of a close-up of how great they all worked together without having to invite even more of it in between.

But sometimes he couldn’t get away with just distancing himself. When Gavin bounced on the arm of his seat begging him to join them for bevs after work, oh _please_ , Ryan, you don’t even have to drink if you don’t want to, you can hang out with Ray, _please_ come with us, Ry!

How could he say no?

And of course he drank, it would be too unbearable otherwise, to see them becoming sloppy as they drank too, as shoulders pressing became sprawling against one another, snuggling together comfortably, or as much so as they possibly could. When idle kisses were exchanged when they thought no one was watching. When Gavin squawked because Geoff scraped his stubbly jaw over the younger’s bare throat.

Ryan finished off his drink and glanced around the table. And then again, with a blink. “Where’s Ray?”

Michael jerked his head toward the back. “Said he had to piss. Too much cola.” He giggled, kicking at Gavin, who retaliated and caught Jack’s shin instead, earning him a good-natured shove that had him reeling back into Geoff with a guffaw.

Ryan’s brows furrowed, trying to remember when that had been. It felt like it had been longer than should have been necessary. With a grunt, he slid out of his seat. “I’ll be right back.”

The others seemed content to let him check it out all on his own, so he headed back to the bathroom, his head only faintly buzzing from the alcohol. He wasn’t in the mood to go home alone _and_ drunk tonight.

As he pushed open the door, he could hear Ray’s voice, and briefly, he felt relieved. Then he actually registered the words.

“I’m warning you, I’ve had extensive training in the fine art of kick-assery, we’re talking a Puerto Rican hurricane up in here.” They were up against the opposite wall, Ray backed into the corner, but with chin lifted, unafraid of the bruiser twice his size that had him hemmed in. One thick-fingered fist was twisted into the front of his Team Lads t-shirt.

Ryan let the door shut behind him, kicking it the last inch so it rattled audibly. “I’d listen to the little guy, it’d be embarrassing to get your ass handed to you by a shrimp like him.”

The drunken moron jerked his head around, as Ray’s eyes widened. “Ryan-“

Ryan inclined his head, rocking his weight forward, inviting his aggression. “Come on, I’ll give you a challenge, dickhead.”

“Fucker-“ It seemed to work well enough. He shoved Ray aside and wheeled around, charging right at him. Ryan was braced for impact, and they grappled, fingers clawing and gripping at whatever purchase they could find, seeking to throw the other off his feet. They bounced off the sinks and hit the floor, rolling and punching, and Ryan swore as they collided with the wall again and he skidded across the tiles.

The asshole recovered first and got a few hits in before he managed to regain control, tasting blood in his mouth as pinned the other to the floor with a knee to the stomach that drove the wind right out of his slack mouth. Ryan grumbled, shifting to rest a knee on either arm, only slightly out of breath. His knuckles stung from the hits he’d managed to land, and he dragged them across his bruised cheek irritably before he looked up and saw Ray still standing there, watching him.

Some of his frustration ebbed, and he managed a lopsided grin. “Go get your boys or something, yeah?”

Ray nodded quickly, but he still stopped in front of Ryan rather than heading straight for the door. His fingers brushed over his upper lip and came away red with blood. “I think he tried to break your nose.” There was a faint tremor to the words, torn between a bad attempt at humor and the aftershocks of fear.

Ryan pushed his hand away. “He didn’t. I’m fine. Just go get someone to help me dispose of this prick, all right?”

Ray nodded again, still staring at him, and then he finally moved, disappearing out the door.

It didn’t take long for the whole pack of them to appear, flooding into the room, looking equal parts horrified and pleased to see that Ryan seemed to have a handle on the situation. Gavin seemed to be plastered against Ray with no intention of letting go anytime soon. Ryan scooted back off the asshole, who was beginning to wheeze as he gradually regained his breath, and he was lifted roughly onto his feet by Geoff and Jack, who muscled him right back out the door.

Ryan settled back on his heels and exhaled wearily as he became aware of just how badly his face had begun to ache. He jerked, startled when fingers brushed his cheek. Michael was glaring down at him, tipping his head back to better assess the damage he’d taken. “Why’d you let that little bitch hit you so many times?” he demanded, but the worry underneath the temper bled through the words.

He huffed out a chuckle and shook his head, deterring Michael’s questing touch before it made it to his bloodied nose and mouth. “Quicker than I gave him credit for,” he mumbled, glancing to the side as Ray and Gavin flopped as one next to him, still apparently attached at the hip.

“Can’t believe that pleb was going after Ray,” Gavin complained, arm squeezing Ray a little closer as he began to poke at Ryan himself, long fingers fluttering over his face, as if uncertain of just where he should touch that it wouldn’t hurt him too much.

“Thanks for the rescue, Ry-bread.” Ray caught his hand and squeezed, and suddenly it was too much, to have the lads surrounding him, showering him with the kind of undivided attention that they usually reserved for one another, for their other two gents, for anyone but him because he wasn’t a part of them, not like the rest of them were.

He stumbled back, onto his feet, just as Geoff and Jack returned. Geoff’s knuckles were looking a little raw, so he could imagine how the send-off had gone, and he found himself smiling a little at the thought, before he remembered, as the lads all got up as well, and he found himself at the center of the five of them then, and felt overwhelmed.

“I should go home,” he muttered, shuffling a little, but there was nowhere to walk without pushing past them, and he found he didn’t have the strength for that.

“Bullshit,” said Geoff. “You’re coming home with us.”

Panic raced like lightning through his veins.

“No, no, it’s fine, really. Just got knocked around a bit, I’ll be fine. Just gonna go home and take a couple ibuprofen and a hot shower and go to bed.” But they were crowding in, hands locking onto sleeves, sliding behind his back, tugging him along with them. And despite his weak protests, he let it happen. He let himself be pulled along with them, and pushed into one of their cars – he didn’t really remember which. Gavin and Ray piled into the back with him and both seemed determined to be as close to climbing outright into his lap as possible without actually doing so.

When they got to the house – their house, the house where the five of them slept and ate and lived together, the house they were together in, where he had promised himself he would never go, knowing how he envied them of what they had with each other – If they could have lifted him up off his feet he had a feeling they might have.

He was bustled inside and pushed onto the couch, and he was never left alone. Jack disappeared upstairs and came back with a little first aid kit, which was used despite his protests to help clean up his face and his knuckles. Geoff seemed to think it was funny until he was dragged over so his knuckles could be cleaned up too.

Ray climbed up into his lap and burrowed into him, silent and warm, face butted up against his neck. He could feel the pressure of one of the legs of his glasses against his Adam’s apple.

He felt like he was drowning, but in a good way. They were fussing over him, including him. He felt like he was one of them. Especially as Gavin clambered up and pressed snugly into his side, and then Jack joined in on the other side. Michael seemed content to pile onto the end of the couch with Gavin, feet hanging off the end, his head on the Brit’s shoulder, right next to Ryan’s. Geoff wedged himself in at the other end, and it felt right. It felt exactly like he’d imagined.

It was killing him.

“I should go,” he mumbled. Ray curled in a little tighter against him, as if in protest.

“Why?” questioned Gavin, shifting so that he jostled Michael, who swatted at him and shifted his head to rest against Ryan’s shoulder instead, sliding his ass more properly into Gavin’s lap to be more comfortable.

“Because. I don’t…” I don’t belong here. With you.

“Bullshit.” Muttered immediately in response by Geoff, echoed by Michael.

“You were like a superhero,” said Gavin, butting his arm up against Ryan’s more firmly.

“I thought _I _was a superhero,” protested Ray, muffled against Ryan’s collarbone.__

__“Well, yeah, we can all three of us be one, you sausage.”_ _

__“I don’t think I really qualify as Superman,” said Ryan wryly._ _

__“That’s good, ‘cause Ray’s sure as hell not Lois Lane,” said Jack, earning laughter from each of them, and Ray jerking one hand up from where it was buried between him and Ryan to flip him off._ _

__“Did you give him a thank you kiss, Ray?” This came from Geoff, but the laughter was a bit quieter now, as Ray squirmed a bit against Ryan and Ryan stared blankly ahead, trying not to betray just how much he’d have enjoyed something like that._ _

__“Well, Ray?”_ _

__It suddenly wasn’t humorous at all, and Ryan felt the tips of his ears growing hot when he realized Ray had shifted to look up at him, with a mixture of embarrassment and curiosity, before pulling himself up to straddle Ryan’s lap outright, looking down at him. All eyes were on them, and he felt like he was strangling on the words that were suddenly clawing at his throat, wanting to plead with them not to do this, not to torment him with something he desperately wanted and couldn’t have._ _

__And then Ray’s mouth was on his. Soft and slightly chapped lips, quietly offering, luring him until he kissed back, until he broke apart and gave in, taking something that wasn’t his to take, but that he wanted with a need that physically ached._ _

__“I don’t…” The words felt thick and unfamiliar on his tongue as they broke apart._ _

__And then it was Gavin, enthusiastic and warm and playful, nipping at his sore lower lip, unthinking and well-meaning and beautiful._ _

__Michael kissed like he lived, hot and instinctive, teasing his lips apart, earning muted exclamations from Gavin about the unfairness and completely unromantic-ness (“Christ, Gavin, that’s not a word!") of him going straight for tongue._ _

__Jack was sweet and slow, fingers cradling his jaw. Geoff was raw and sincere, and tasted more strongly of alcohol than any of the others._ _

__“So, what’cha say, Ry?”_ _

__“Be our mad man.”_ _

__“Be our third Gent.”_ _

__“Be our Superman.” Ray was smiling as he said it, and Ryan realized all at once. They’d been waiting for him for as long as he’d been waiting for them._ _

__“Yeah.” Gavin whooped and sent Michael toppling to the floor, screeching as Michael soon dragged him down as well and they began to wrestle right there at their feet, rolling around and making a ruckus. Ryan laughed, and said again, “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”_ _

__Ray kissed him again, then gave a yelp as he found himself scooped up off of Ryan’s lap, hefted over his shoulder. His shock became excitement, and he struck a pose as if he were flying. “Later, assholes, Lois Lane gets first dibs on Superman!”_ _

__There was a scramble of feet behind them, the strangled complaining of Geoff when he tripped over Gavin and Michael, the wild laughter of Jack._ _

__And it was real, he knew, as Ray turned his head to nibble at his ear, urging him to go faster. This was real. This was right._ _

__He was finally where he’d always wanted to be._ _


End file.
